It’s been an exciting start to the year, with the first of 2025’s completed adaptations project to be unveiled by Sullivan’s Heroes being ‘Jacob's Journey for home adaptions’.
The project for 9-year-old Jacob involved extending his house to create a downstairs bedroom and wet room for Jacob, which required £45,000 of funds to be raised.
Jacob’s parents tell us:
“Changing Jacob would have to be done in front of whoever was there in the living room as I couldn’t carry him up the stairs to get him changed. He had no dignity. We couldn’t get him using the toilet as that was upstairs too and we couldn’t manage getting him up and down numerous times a day.”
“Our life has changed immensely, Jacob has a ground floor bedroom and wetroom with a changing table. We no longer need to try and struggle with him up and down the stairs. We have been able to start Jacob on the toilet and he loves using it and has been able to understand what it is for! He has dignity, independence and a better life… as do we!”
View ‘Jacob's Journey for home adaptions’ transformation here!
The first few weeks of the year have also seen many new applicants to the charity, with two of these being Amelia and Teddy.
The project for ‘Amelia's New Bedroom’ will create a downstairs bedroom, level access shower and outdoor supervised area for Amelia, to accommodate her sensory requirements, providing her with the tranquility and security she needs. Disability Grant funding has been awarded through the council, but costs of the works leave a shortfall of £40,000 to meet the project costs.
As Amelia’s parents advise:
“Currently, our family lives in a small two-bedroom house, where space is extremely limited. Amelia faces significant struggles due to her sensory needs. She has no private area to self-regulate or find solace, which deeply affects her mental health and overall quality of life.”
“Amelia having her own space will change her life, it will help to improve her mental health, improve her sleep, improve her relationship with her little sister. The shower will allow her to have more independence and privacy especially as she is getting older. This improvement is not just about creating a room; it’s about giving Amelia a place where she can feel safe, calm, and understood. There is no way to express how much this will impact her and our lives, it will simply be life changing.”
Meanwhile, the project for ‘Teddy’s Space!’ involves creating a downstairs bedroom and wetroom for Teddy via a small extension and conversion of the dining area, adding a living area space conservatory to the back of the house, providing level access for his wheelchair internally throughout the ground floor and creating access to the external spaces. Teddy and his family are also seeking funds towards a £40,000 shortfall required to be met to cover the project costs.
As Teddy’s parents advise:
“Teddy was diagnosed with Kabuki Syndrome as a baby, which is a rare genetic syndrome causing a range of complex and life-threatening health problems, as well as Autism and Learning Disabilities. He has spent much of his life in and out of hospital and manages high levels of chronic pain as a result of his condition. He also has to have weekly infusions at home in order to keep him well.”
“Teddy's mobility is variable, and whilst he can walk around the house on a good day, at times he is unable to due to severe pain. He also needs constant supervision and support on the stairs due to severe epilepsy and the risk of seizures. We live in a typical (but small) family home, with a downstairs toilet, that does not have space for an extra adult to be in the room with him, meaning that if he needs to use the facilities, he either has do so with the door wide open or be carried upstairs."
"We hope that our build will create a downstairs bedroom and wetroom for Teddy, to meet his needs as gets bigger. We would love for our gorgeous boy to be able to have a home that is not only accessible and safe for him, but a place where he can play and learn, as well as having dignity and independence. Due to the complexity of his health needs and his very rare condition, we can't know what the future may hold for him however, we hope that others will join us in our bid to help him to continue to be as happy as he can be!”
Other projects are progressing well and nearing completion, including ‘Myk’s accessible home project’, to create a ground floor bedroom and bathroom extension, with wheelchair access into and around the ground floor of his home. The finishing touches are being applied, and Myk is already thrilled to enjoy a view of the garden from the comfort of his new bedroom thanks to a newly constructed balcony.
We conclude with heartfelt thanks to Arco Clothing Centre Preston for their generous fundraising support through various initiatives in recent weeks – joining the ever-increasing list of ‘Our Heroes’.
Please do get in touch if you have any fundraising events, activities and ideas you’d like to share with us; or if you would like to apply for a grant or to fundraise through Sullivan’s Heroes.
Thank you for your ongoing support, it is greatly appreciated.
